Electrical circuit having an odds selector for a game of chance

ABSTRACT

The invention is an electrical circuit for use in a game. It includes a number of multiple pole switches all of which are in series connection with a power source, win indicator and other conventional electric game circuitry. Preferably, a single pole of each switch is connected to the common terminal of the next switch in sequence thus enabling a player to attempt, by setting each switch, to guess the correct combination which will close the circuit and produce a win. Another multiple pole switch may also be provided between the power source and the common terminals of the other switches for the purpose of adding or removing one or more switches from the circuit thus increasing or decreasing the odds against a winning selection.

- Sniderman 1111 3,856,310 ".1 1: Dec. 24, 1974 ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT HAVING AN ODDS SELECTOR FOR A GAME OF CHANCE [76] Inventor: Ken E. Sniderman, 1930 Riverside v Dr., Trenton, NJ. 08618 221 'Filed: Jan. 1974 1211 Appl. No.: 431,755

51 Int. c1 .....i A63b 71/06 [58] 'Field 61 Search 273/138 A, 141 A, 139, 273/142 B, 130 AB, 131 A, 134 A, 135 A,

136 A, 113,143 R, 143 c,143'1),143 E; 35/4, 9 A, 9 B, 18 R,"l8 A, 19 A, 22 R, 22 A, 48 R, 48 A, 48 200/1 R, 5 A; 307/112; v 317/134, 135 R, 135A [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,881,242 10 1932 Prentice 35 9 B .2,l44,033 1/1939 Root 307/112 2,970,386 2/1961 Knutsonl 35/9 B 3,112,931 12/1963 Dill 273/139 3,641,686 2/1972 Krass 35/22 R 3,755,718 8/1973 Nicholson 317/134 FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS France .1

Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Arnold W. Kramer Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Sperry and Zoda [57] ABSTRACT Theinvention is an electrical circuit for use in a game. It includes a number of multiple pole switches all of which are in series connection with a power source,

win indicator and other conventional electric game I circuitry. Preferably, a single pole of each switch is connected to the common terminal of the next switch in sequence thus enabling a player to attempt, by setting each -switch, to guess the correct combination ing one or more switches from the circuit thus increasing or decreasing the odds against a winning selection.

1 1 Claim, 1 Drawing Figure Great Britain 273/138 A Field f the Invention Th invention is an electrical circuit ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT HAVING AN ODDS SELECTOR FOR A GAME OF CHANCE cRoss REFERENCES To RELATED APPLICATIONS application is related to Application Ser. No. 304,349 filed on 'Nov. 7, 1972 by Ken E. Sniderman and Jeffrey Maltby, and now abandoned.

' BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION 7 intended for use in a game for home use in which the player must select a correct combination of numbers, objects or the like, in order to win.

SUMMARY or THEUINVENTIONE ,This invention is an electricalcircuitfo'r use in a game in which ,theipla'yermust guess apreset'combination of numbers, objects' or the like. Further, a pre- The'circuit includes, a multiplicity ofswitches secondary'selectors) each having a multiple of poles and being wired in sequential order. At least one numberedl6, and 18 will be referred to hereinafter as secondary selectors. Each of the switches 10, 12,14, 16 and 18 may comprise any conventional switching mechanism or circuit, or the like, as may be convenient for the particular construction. I

The subcircuit, generally designated'bydotted lines at 20,'comprising odds selector l ands'econdary selecferred embodiment of the invention enables the player toselec't, from several values, the odds against which he v wishes to play. I

pole, but fewer than'all such poles, on each switch is I wired to the common terminal of the next switchin se- 'quence.Thus' each switch must be set to the proper po= sition if there isto be a closed electrical path from one switch to the next through the circu'itf I Variability of the odds is incorporated into the inventio'nby another switch,referred to as the odds selector,

which is also a multiple pole switch. Each numbered poleof the odds selector is connected to the common terminal of one of the previously described secondary selectors. Thus by moving the odds selector to different settings a greater or lesser number of secondary selectors will be included in the circuit thus increasing or decreasing the odds against a winning guess by the player. The odds may also be controlled by varying the number of poles on each secondary selector and by wiring more or less polesv on eachselector into the circuit. g In order to allow the combinationneces'sary for a win to be changed, as may be appropriate, the electrical connections to the numbered poles are preferably.

made removable or'otherwis'e changeable. However, the specific means for changing this combination are conventional and not a partof this invention.

'The entire circuit of this invention may be included in a conventional electrical game which includes apower source and means for indicating a win.-

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The FIGURE is a schematic circuit diagram illustrating one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT tors 12, 14,16 and. 18, may be included in a conventional game machine for either chanceor home use; As

shown in the'drawing, the machine may include a power source 22, a disc or check operated switch 24 anda win indicator shown as a box at 26. Since these items are conventional, theylare shown in schematic fashion. h

Generally speaking, subcircuit 20 is wired so that odds-selector 10 may be set from one pole to the next,

and then to the next'and so on, to include first one and then two, three and four secondary selectors respectively in'series connection with the conventional circuitry of the gamemachine. Accordingly, the common terminal c of odds selector '10 isconnected to one side of the conventional game circuitand at least one numbered terminal of secondary selector l2 iswiredto the other side of the conventional game circuit. Each numbered pole of odds selector. 10 is then wired to the common terminal'c of one secondary selector. For example, polenumber 2 of odds selector 10 is connected to the common c of secondaryselector l4 and' so on, Finally, at least one numbered pole of secondary selector 14 is connectedto the common a of secondary selector 12,

at least one numbered pole of secondary selector 16 is number 3 corresponds to three secondary selectors, 12,

l4 and '16, in circuit, and so on through pole number OPERATION The functioning of the above circuit may be best de-,

scribed by a discussion of the method of playing the game. The object of the game is to select the proper combination on the secondary selectors which wil close the circuit and produce a win. r Accordingly, the player first selects the desired predetermined odds against which he wishes to play by setting the odds selector. The player then selects values for each secondaryselector and places his disc or check in theslot. It will now become apparent why it is preferred that only one numbered pole of each sec- The particular embodiment chosen for purposes of description isillustratedin the FIGURE, in schematic fashion. The invention is an electrical circuit preferably intended for use in a game of chance.

-. Multiple pole switches are indicated in dotted fashion at 10, 12, l4, l6 and 18. Switch '10 will be referred to hereinafter as the"odds selector, and switches 12, 14,

ondary selector be hot. Certainly the odds of selecting onehot pole from a multiple-of dead poles will not be great. Further, it may be seen that as odds selector 10 is adjusted to include fewer or greater secondary selectors in the circuit, the odds of making the proper selection will be correspondingly greater or less.

If the player has selected the proper position for'each secondary selector he will win. When his disc or check is placed in the slot, switch 24 will close and the win indicator 26 will be activated as in conventional devices.

18 is connected to the common c of secondary selector i 1 '1 .Using theFlGUlilE as an eitample the player has set odds selector 10 .to the number 3 position thus placing secondary Selectors 12, 14 and 16 into the circuit. The

'player has also. set secondary selectors 12, 14, 16 and number of numbered poles on each secondary selector,

- (b) the number of such-poles which are wired so as to 18 to pole positions6, 3, 3 and 1 respectively. Of

course, if theplayer should put his disc or check in the machine at this time he would lose since secondary selector l6'has not been properly set. If that selector had been-set to pole position 2, or if odds selector had easily changed. The changeability of these connections may be provided in numerous ways, however, this in- ,v'ention is directed only to the basic electrical circuit,

rather than the mechanical means for making this change, so those means need not be described in detail. Of course, one method would be tomanually remove the connections and replace them in different locations. Another would be to provide each pole of each secondary selector with a switch between the pole and a live line. The'switches could be manually activated or they couldbe operated by the insertion of a punched card into acard reading device. Further the entire switching sequence could be solid state and automatically activated by-a win.

It has been previously stated that odds selector 10 may be set to choose among predetermined odds against a winning combination. There are four variables which determine those odds, as follows: (a) the be hot (c') the number of secondaryv selectors, and

' (d) the setting of the odds selector. It should be understood that any of these variables may be changed to suit the particular application and that any specification of those values, herein, or in the drawing are for purposes of illustration only. v

Many other alternative forms and arrangements of this invention will also be apparent from the above drawing and descriptions, however, these too are for purposes of illustration and none should be interpreted to limit the scope of the invention as claimed.

' l. A chance game device comprising an electric circuit including a power source and win indicator, the input of said electric circuit connected'to the common terminal of a rotatable multiple pole odds switch, said poles being sequentially numbered; a plurality of rotatable miltiple pole secondary switches in sequential order starting from a first, said poles of said secondary switches being numbered; the common terminal of each of said secondary switches taken in sequence each being connected to a respective one of said sequentially numbered poles of said odds switch; and all of said secondary switches taken in reverse sequence save said first having at least one but fewer than all of its numbered poles removably connected to the common terminal of the preceding secondary switch, with said first secondary switch having at least one but less than all of its numbered terminals removably connected to the output of said electric circuit, said power source and win indicator being connected in series between said output and input of said circuit. 

1. A chance game device comprising an electric circuit including a power source and win indicator, the input of said electric circuit connected to the common terminal of a rotatable multiple pole odds switch, said poles being sequentially numbered; a plurality of rotatable miltiple pole secondary switches in sequential order starting from a first, said poles of said secondary switches being numbered; the common terminal of each of said secondary switches taken in sequence each being connected to a respective one of said sequentially numbered poles of said odds switch; and all of said secondary switches taken in reverse sequence save said first having at least one but fewer than all of its numbered poles removably connected to the common terminal of the preceding secondary switch, with said first secondary switch having at least one but less than all of its numbered terminals removably connected to the output of said electric circuit, said power source and win indicator being connected in series between said output and input of said circuit. 